Tackling dummy



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w. T. STALL TACKLING DUMM' Filed April 1925 June 30. 192 5.

Patented June 30, 1925.

F F I Q E WALTER STALL, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

TACKLING DUMMY.

Application filed April 29, 1925. Serial No. 26,651.

[0 all whom it 71mg concern:

Be it known that LTVALTER T. STALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State of lilassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tackling Dum mics, of which the following is a specificat-ion.

This invention relates to a dummy used in football practice to enable a player to gain experience in tackling, fitting him to tackle an opposing player.

The usual tackling dummy used in football practice is not progressively movable to simulate the movements of an actual player, and is confined on a permanent framework, so that its movability is limited, the arrangement being such that the only practice permitted is that of tackling a practically stationary dummy, or one which is not progressively moving.

In the game of football a player seldom if ever has an opportunity of tackling an opposing player who is not moving progressively and more or less rapidly, so that the practice permitted by the use of the usual dummy does not simulate the actual conditions of play.

The object of my invention is to provide a tackling dummy adapted to be progressively and rapidly moved by two carrying players or assistants, who are able to impart to the dummy movements closely resembling those of a running player, the tackling of whom by an opposing player is a desiderat-um, the carrying players being enabled by running, dodging and otherwise manoeuvering, to introduce a personal equation into football practice with a dummy.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,-

Figure 1 is a side view of a portable tackling dummy embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is an edge view.

Figure 3 is an end view.

Figure 4 is asection on line l l of Fig ure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective View, showing the dummy being progressively moved by two assistants.

Portions of Figures 1 and 2 are broken away and shown in section.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

My improved dummy comprises a body portion 12 and leg portions 13, simulating the body and legs of a football player, from the waist downward. The body is provided at the waist end with handle members adapt ed to be grasped by two carrying players or assistants, the arrangement being such that the assistants may run side by side with the dummy suspended, legs downward, between the assistants, as shown by Figure 5, the dummy being in position to be tackled by a player running in the opposite direction.

The construction of the dummy is such that it has considerable weight, preferably about 27 pounds, and has a slightly yielding external surface. The dummy preferably comprises a bifurcated bag of strong cloth, such as that usually employed for football clothing, portions of the bag being shown in section at 14 in Figures 1, 2 and 4. The bag has a mouth at the waist end, provided with closing means, the dummy comprising also a filling 23, which may be of wool felt, or any other suitable material, closely packed in the bag and retained therein by the mouth-closing means.

The mouth preferably includes the waist end portion of the bifurcated bag, which is leftopen, and a reinforcing binding 15, formed by a strip of leather surrounding the open end of the bag and united at one edge by stitches 16 to the bag. The opposite edge of the binding is, in this instance, provided with eyelets 17, receiving a strong lacing cord 18, the eyelets and cord constituting the preferred closing means. The handle members in this instance include loops 19, of strong webbing, secured to the binding 15 by stitches 21, or otherwise. These loops may be long enough to be grasped by the attendants. I prefer, howcver,'to supplement the loops by ropes 22 engaged with the loops, as shown by Figure 5.

I am not limited to the construction described and shown except as otherwise pr0- vided in the more limited claims hereto appended.

I claim:

1. A portable tackling dummy, compris ing body and leg portions, simulating parts of the body and legs of a foot ball player, and provided at one end with handle members adapted to be grasped by two assistants, the arrangement being such that the assistants may run side by side with the dummy suspended, legs downward, between them, in position to be tackled by a player running in the opposite direction.

2. A portable tackling dummy specified byclztim 1, the saidbody and leg portions being composed of a bifurcated bag of flexible material having a mouth at one end, provided with closing means, and a filling closely packed in the bag, and retained by the mouth-closing means, the handle members being attached to the bag at opposite ends of the mouth.

3. A portable tackling dummy as specified by claim 1, the said body and leg portions being composed of a bifurcated bag of flexible material open at one end, and a relnl'oi'elng blndlng surrounding the open end and provided with closing means, said signature.

'XVALTER T. STALL. 

